Small businesses have a lot challenges that other sized businesses don't. Primarily this revolves around the fact that they simply have fewer resources and personnel than larger companies. Smaller businesses have to learn how to overcome these issues. One of the things that many struggle with is accounting. Few business owners are accounting experts and this probably leads to the high percentage of small businesses that either fail or change ownership. According to Less Accounting, this number hovers around 90 percent. While accounting can be one of the reasons that some businesses fail, it doesn't have to be that way.

Keep things simple
According to Less Accounting, small businesses can benefit from keeping things easy to understand. The best way to do this is to start off on the right foot and make sure that you understand everything from the very beginning. Less Accounting suggests starting your business as a sole proprietorship to simplify taxes and other accounting issues, but you don't have to.

Whether or not your business is a sole proprietorship or not isn't as important as having the right tools to get the job done. If you have the right kind of accounting software the work you need to do, no matter how much of it there is, will be easier to complete.

Research accounting options
While finding the right tool will help keep your books in order, finding the right solution isn't easy. Your Balance Sheet, an accounting and payroll service company, suggests taking the time to do the necessary research. Don't jump for the first or quickest solution. As a small business you need something that is scalable and can become more robust as your business grows.

Always be consistent
No matter what type of accounting solution you choose, you need to make sure that it's consistently being updated. While many of the processes are automated with high-quality accounting applications, you still need to make sure you keep up with everything. Set aside a few hours each day to make sure that your books are up to date, so if you need access to a certain metric or number, you have it.

Know that sometimes you need to hire a pro
While doing accounting yourself is a great way to save money, it's not always the best option. If your business is highly complex or you just don't have time to handle the books yourself, make sure to hire an accounting firm that is totally qualified. If you hire an accounting firm, you still need to make sure to keep track of your books. As a business owner you need to know your business's financial state.